How to Build a Business That Runs Without You | Blue Collar StartUp

In this episode of Blue Collar StartUp, Mike Nelson and Derek Foster welcome back Bill Tansey Jr. to break down what it really takes to build a business that can operate without its owner being involved in every daily decision. From getting the “trains running on time” to implementing org charts, escalation criteria, and documented processes, the conversation delivers practical guidance for trades business owners looking to scale sustainably.

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Bill can be found on LinkedIn as William (Bill) Tansey Jr., or through his website at theopexshop.com.

0:00 Show introduction
0:25 Hosts Mike Nelson and Derek Foster introduce themselves
1:34 Year-end planning, goal setting, and why planning fuels growth
2:46 Sponsors, community impact, and giving back to the trades
5:18 Podcast milestones, episode output, and tools & tuition donations
6:31 Introducing Bill Tansey and the “Let’s Ask Bill” series
8:12 Vision boards, goal visibility, and staying focused all year
10:05 Today’s topic: building a business that can run without you
11:17 Hiring outside the friend circle and preparing for real growth
13:50 “Are the trains running on time?” explained
17:01 Cash cows, sustainable advantage, and the buggy whip analogy
18:59 Escalation criteria: critical vs. major vs. minor issues
22:19 When and how to use organizational charts correctly
26:36 Functional vs. cross-functional teams explained
29:20 Processes, business systems, and operations manuals
32:17 Why documented processes are required to scale
34:22 Biggest mistakes owners make when growing their business
37:04 Where to find Bill and closing remarks